More than two bank account users are possible …

The DKB joint account is not limited to two users! While there are always two account holders, you can add indefinitely many authorized persons to the account. Each authorized person may also obtain a Girocard and VISA credit card. Thus, the account can be used by larger communities.

Ways of using joint accounts

1. Joint Account for couples

This is the classic of the joint account. Both partners share an account and both enjoy the same services and benefits. The account may look like this:

1 Current account of Family Smith

2 GiroCards

1 for Mrs. Smith

1 for Mr. Smith(Purchases of both cards are immediately deducted from the current account)

2 Credit cards type Visa Card

1 for Mrs. Smith

1 for Mr. Smith(Purchases are collected on separate credit card accounts interest free until the monthly billing on the common current account)

The joint account can be used as a salary account in order to increase the credit limit, but it does not have to be. No matter how much or little you use the DKB joint account, it is always free. The credit cards of course too.

DKB Joint Account for two people with all cards.

2. Joint account for shared apartments

Residential communities have been established and many people enjoy living together. In order to simplify the financial aspects of a shared apartment, a joint account can be useful in many cases.

A joint account is usually opened by two persons. However, further authorized persons can be added to the account.

The difference between an authorized person and an account holder consist mainly in the fact that an authorized person cannot close the account. Besides that, he/she can take advantage of all features.

A typical residential community may look like this:

1 Current account of the residential community Smith-John-Brown

3 GiroCards

1 for Anabel Smith

1 for Mary John

1 for Christian Brown

3 Credit cards

One for each member of the shared apartment

Optional, for each member of the shared apartment another Visa credit card is possible.

Three account users is not necessarily the end. You can add four, five, six and more, if it makes sense in your case!

From the joint current account, the rent and the charges are deducted as well as the purchases for the common life and living is paid through the Girocards and the first Visa credit cards.

On the second Visa credit card, each person can accumulate savings for him/herself. But beware, as each person will be able to access the account online and can make transfers and withdrawals. Moreover, there are interest rates for credit (Visa savings) from the 1.1.2015 only for account holders. The cards for authorized persons are managed free of interest.

How often the joint account of shared apartments is actually used, depends on the people living in a residential community. In any case, it is free of charge, including all bank and credit cards. And even if this account will only be used for the common rental payment and possibly the reserve fund for repairs or joint purchases, it is worth it.

Each person then transfers ones rental share by standing order from a private current account to the joint account and from there, another monthly standing order transfers the rental payments.

Officially, there is no limit of account users of a joint account at the DKB. You can set up as many as you need.

Further advantages of joint accounts

Bundling of financial power

If you transfer several salary payments to one bank account, you have a considerable higher chance to obtain an accordingly big credit lime or overdraft facility. At best, this could be up to 3 times the amount of all salary payments together.

Handling of financial affairs in emergency situations

If your partner, flatmate or someone else with whom you have used a classic single account, is no longer or temporarily not able to take care of his/her financial affairs (e.g. transfers, cash withdrawals) due to an accident or sudden illness, no one else can do this (unless an authorization has been issued and approved by the bank previously).

This way, quite some people have fallen into financial disaster, because bills were not paid and serious consequences of delay occurred. Thanks to the joint account, the other account holders will be able to avert that.

Collecting points together

Whoever pays with the DKB Visa Card, automatically collects points. These can be redeemed for prices. This way, one can make common purchases as a couple or residential community that cost nothing … because they will be paid with the bonus points of the DKB use.

Risks of Joint Accounts

It is, of course, useful to know the people well with whom one sets up a joint account, because everyone is equally entitled to dispose of the account. Only the account closure must be made jointly by all account holders.

Summary

The DKB joint account is the ideal bank account to master easily financial tasks of several people, because:

everything happens through one bank account

each has its own bank card

as well as an own credit card for each person

and at request another additional Visa credit card (e.g. for saving purposes)

The joint account can be used for common interests, like the handling of rental payments of a shared apartment up to the main bank current account of a whole family.

It does not matter how you personally use the DKB joint account. In any case, it remains permanently free of charge!

By the way: Each cash withdrawal with one of the Visa cards is free in Germany and abroad. Regardless of which bank the ATM is. That indeed is a huge advantage, isn´t it?

“Apply now for the DKB Joint Account”

I am already customer at the DKB. Can I change my existing account into a joint account?

Unfortunately, a change is not possible. Please fill out a new application for the joint account by clicking on the button. The joint account, however, will be linked to your existing account. This way, you keep your existing credentials. Then, when you log into your online banking, you will see both accounts.

Questions about the joint account?

Please use the comments box. Our editorial staff will respond as soon as possible.

Likewise, you can complement this page with your own experiences and ideas for usage. This should help other people, who search for a good joint account …

Hello! In Germany, it’s customary for a direct bank to perform a credit check based on the information on the account application and those that are registered with the credit check agencies. This of-ten is a challenge for those people that have not yet been in Germany for long, since there is not much information yet. Like in the US, in Germany it makes sense to build up your credit.

Such excellent conditions like for the DKB giro account with credit card is only available for per-sons with a favorable credit check.

It might be a short cut to open a joint account together with a person that has already been living in Germany for a longer period of time.

At some point in the nearer future we will produce an article with instructions on how to establish (i.e. build up step by step) a favorable credit.

Hi, So is there really no option to add another person to my current account? I understood that an email to DKB should be enough to allow a process for my husband to join my account.
if this is truly possible, can you please refine a few words in german to use in the letter?

and if not, is opening another account really OK? it sounds kinda messy. :/

If a bank account is supposed to be a joint account or only for a single account holder, is something that always has to be determined at the start and can not be switched in between.

You can authorize a second person to have access to your account and get their own card, but they will not be able to have their salary (for example) transferred there or have their name added to an existing account.

If that is what you want, I’m afraid you are going to have to apply for another joint account.

Btw., if you do that online you will have to do that from the main page, without being logged in. You can not do it while you are logged into your own account.

The answer is: no. Background: both persons are account holders and one cannot convert a joint account into a single account or continue it with only one person.

The opening of one or two single accounts – then with a new account number – would be the consequence.

This is different, if one opens a single account and adds a second person as the empowered person (with an own Giro and Visa Card for each one). The empowerment can be cancelled anytime. However, the DKB does not like the fact, if the salary payment is transferred for a person that is not the account holder. The empowerment is therefore not a substitute for a joint account.

An income flow from both sides is not neccessarily a requirement. Theoretically, the income of one of the spouses might be sufficient, but of course the general credit history of both applicants need to be in their favor.